IFAW names Downes CEO

The International Fund for Animal Welfare has turned to a longtime executive within the nonprofit as its next CEO.

Comment

By ROBERT GOLD

capecodtimes.com

By ROBERT GOLD

Posted Dec. 21, 2012 at 2:00 AM

By ROBERT GOLD

Posted Dec. 21, 2012 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

YARMOUTHPORT — The International Fund for Animal Welfare has turned to a longtime executive within the nonprofit as its next CEO.

Azzedine Downes officially takes over the top spot Jan. 1, according to IFAW, a global conservation, animal advocacy and rescue organization. Downes has been acting CEO since July when the nonprofit's longtime leader, Fred O'Regan, took a sabbatical. O'Regan decided not to return, IFAW officials said.

Downes started with IFAW in 1997 and was executive vice president for about 10 years, he said. During his career with the nonprofit, he established the United Arab Emirates office in Dubai, where he started the IFAW Prevention of Wildlife Trade Program. The program trains local law enforcement and customs officials about illegal trading, helping stop animals and wildlife products like elephant ivory from being smuggled in and out of their countries.

"He's been a tremendous asset to the organization for a number of years," said Kathleen Savesky, chairwoman of IFAW's board of directors.

Downes, who grew up in Boston, has lived and worked in Morocco, Israel, Yemen and Bulgaria and the Netherlands.

He worked with O'Regan in the Peace Corps. in the mid-1990s.

IFAW has about 300 full-time employees, including 130 at its global headquarters in Yarmouthport. It has 15 regional offices worldwide and does work in more than 40 countries. The nonprofit group laid off 10 percent of its workforce in January 2009 and later announced a restructuring to deal with budget shortfalls.

Downes said the nonprofit has bounced back.

"I think we are on very solid ground now. Fundraising has really stabilized," he said.

Downes said the organization will continue to focus on training locals to implement many of its programs, with more staff hired that can travel regionally. It also contracts out work to locals.

"We are really finding people on the ground that have the skills, they have the language skills, they have the cultural skills, they have political skills (for their area)," he said.

Savesky said Downes excelled as acting CEO.

"It really gave us a chance to see how indispensable Azzedine is," she said.